England’s Empire

19th Century Debate and Policy

Second British Empire

• Free Trade and Economic Imperialism• Territorial Imperialism only to get bases to protect

trade rather than acquiring territory in order to settle it.

• Casual Administration of Empire—no single person responsible for it

• Colonial Office was nominally in charge—Undersecretaries like James Stevens “Mr. Mother Country” did the heavy lifting; Colonial Secretary was patronage position

Members of the Empire

• Canada• Australia• New Zealand• Cape Colony (South

Africa)• India

• West Indies

• Trinidad

• Guiana

• Br. Honduras

• Malta

• Ionian Islands

• Helegoland

• Ceylon

• Singapore

Debate over Empire

• Free Traders and Little Englanders: James Mill, Jeremy Bentham—viewed empire as accessory to autocratic government.

• Edward Gibbon Wakefield—empire is good, both as a safety valve and because English emigrants bring liberal governments with them.

Mill, Bentham, Wakefield

Official Mind

• Empire was not built by design

• People on the scene, seeking not to enlarge territory, often did just that to end local disputes or to secure coastal bases

Events, not policy dictated empire

• Canada following Lord Durham Report became self governing under British North America Act – “Good government, self government.”

• Australia—part of empire since 1770 was a convict colony and wool producer; self-governing in 1850; member of commonwealth n 1900.

India• British East India Company was initial British

presence• Joint rule between Crown and BEIC from 1774 to

1857• “Doctrine of Lapse” extended British control into

interior• Civil Service staffed by Indians did day-to-day

management• 1857 Sepoy Mutiny• India became Vice-royalty in 1876• Lord Curzon (1891-1905) governor general,

sought public education and civilian control over military

George, Lord Curzon (1859-1925)

India (II)• 1884—Indian National Congress Formed• Indian’s given votes in local matters and franchise

broadened in 1907 under John Minto and Lord Morely, but Indians were not satisfied

• Would India support England in WWI? Nationalists supported war in exchange for concessions

• Record on India is mixed: English often treated Indians poorly, but suttee and thugee were abolished; civil service officials were well-trained for governance

Africa

• Acquired Suez Canal in 1875—great achievement by Disraeli—need to control canal tied to need to have access to India

• Britain extended control to Sudan in 1880s, suppressed native revolt (1885)that killed “Chinese” Gordon

• Fear of German activities in Africa made British more willing to have territorial control to secure interests.

South Africa• Acquired in 1806 during Napoleonic Wars• Boers go on “Great Trek” in 1833 when British

end slavery in Empire• Boer Republics of Transvaal and Orange Free

State were annexed in 1867 after discover of Diamonds

• Revolt in Transvaal in 1881 and British defeated at Majuba Hill

• Cecil Rhodes, private businessman, expanded British interests by mining for Diamonds in Zimbabwe and planning a Cairo to Capetown Railroad

Boer War• Jameson Raid—organized by Rhodes• Boer leaders like Paul Krueger look to Kaiser for

protection—Krueger telegram• Joseph Chamberlain said that British controlled

Dutch Republics• War erupted when Krueger declared war• Brits sent 300,000 to fight Boer War.• Concentration camps establsihed• 1902 War ended—Brits win war but Boers win

peace—Boers keep slavery through apartheid—Jan Christian Smuts and Louis Botha were Boer Leaders

Krueger, Botha & Smuts

Rhodes and Chamberlain